At this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Siemens will introduce new solutions and services for machine tool manufacturers and end-users. Under the theme, “Productivity in Motion,” the presentation will focus on turnkey solutions for the job shop, aerospace, automotive, mold/die and medical part manufacturing industries.
For machine tool builders and end-users, Siemens will exhibit the newest innovations in CNC (Computer Numerical Control), motor and drive technology, as well as new value-adding services ranging from condition monitoring and manufacturing IT to solutions for CNC training and machine tool retrofits.
Highlighting the booth for attendees will be a raffle to win a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, as well as the opportunity to register for a 60-day free trial license on Sinutrain, the full suite of Siemens CNC training modules.
Siemens will introduce a shop floor CNC specifically designed and engineered for the 230V, three-phase) economy-priced market, with up to three-axis plus spindle control capability in milling or turning applications. Offered as a package with Siemens Sinamics drives and Simotics motor solutions, this new control will be demonstrated on a knee mill, during the show. This new CNC will be available for both OEM machine builds and in-the-field retrofit.
The Sinumerik 828D also will be running on various machines and simulators in the booth. The Sinumerik 828D BASIC T (turning) and BASIC M (milling) expands this range of Siemens CNC to enhance job shop performance. The Sinumerik 828D BASIC T is designed to address the needs of shop floor turning machines.
It combines CNC, PLC, operator panel and axis control for five axes/spindles, including live tooling. Milling and drilling operations on a turning machine, both for face and peripheral surfacing, are therefore possible. In tandem with the new Sinamics S120 Combi drives package, the 828D BASIC T represents a new level of efficiency and virtually maintenance-free operation, as the fans, hard disks and batteries of past CNC generations are eliminated.
Likewise, the new Sinumerik 828D BASIC M class features the same quality performance as the T class, for use on milling machines. Even in complex mold making operations, mirror-smooth surfacing and reduced machining times are enabled. Again, in tandem with Sinamics S120 Combi drives package and Simotics feed and spindle motors, the 828D BASIC T will operate a milling machine at the highest level of performance possible. Superior axis and spindle dynamics within a broad speed bandwidth yield quality work pieces, every time.
All the other benefits of the Siemens CNC family, including the Sinumerik Operate graphical user interface platform as well as Shop Mill and Shop Turn easy programming are offered in these new 828D CNCs.
The Sinumerik 828D is capable of full graphical, high-level language command and supports ISO programming that is customary in the United States. This control family is ideal for single-part and small-batch production. Programming time can be further reduced for small-batch production with the use of the ShopMill and ShopTurn graphical work step programming system, while high-level language programming can be used in conjunction with program Guide to significantly reduce programming times for large-scale serial production.
Also included with this expansion of the Sinumerik 828D family of CNC, modern PC and mobile phone technology are available to the mid-range machine tool. Extensive online help animations and a new type of input prompting system with moving picture sequences provide the basis for exceptional user convenience. USB, Compact Flash (CF) card and Ethernet ports enable high-speed data transfers onto storage media or integration of the control system into corporate networks.
Through the use of its Easy Message functionality, the Sinumerik 828D family offers production status monitoring by text messaging (SMS). Depending on the recipient’s profile settings, the machine tool can transmit information about work piece machining status, report on the tool condition currently in use and send machine maintenance bulletins to a mobile phone, anytime and anywhere. These combined functions are designed to help keep machine downtime to a minimum.
The Sinumerik 840D sl CNC makes another series of advancements, all being demonstrated at this year’s show. The system platform offers a comprehensive range of functions for machine tools. This universal control covers wide-ranging machining technologies used in metalworking operations such as turning, drilling, milling, grinding, laser machining, nibbling and punching, plus it can be used in multi-tasking machines such as turn-mill or mill-turn centers. Whatever the application, Sinumerik 840D sl leads to maximum productivity for the job shop or industrial-scale production department, as well as optimum surface quality for all mold and tool building applications.
Another new offering at the exhibit is Sinumerik Operate. This is the graphical user interface that provides an integrated milling function for turning machines or integrated turning function for milling machines.
With the benefit of modern touchscreen operation, the new Sinumerik operator panel OP 019, now extended to include the new Power Control Unit (PCU) 50.5, allows high-speed key actuation at the large 19-inch glass front, which conforms to the IP66 protection rating. Another feature of the OP 019 design is the wide LEDs, which allow the operator to clearly visualize every key actuation, no matter what the angle of vision. An integrated key lock helps safeguard against operating errors, and the new operator panel is provides a basic machine display with three or four channels showing up to 13 axes.
Sinumerik CTRL-E is the new green high achievement in CNC operation, designed for the strict requirements of the international energy efficiency standard EN16001. It provides a full assessment of the energy consumed by the machine tool in every cycle, on every part produced and throughout the machine’s life cycle. Specific power loads can be shut down automatically during downtimes, plus generated braking energy can be stored or fed back into the power grid. In this way, Siemens Sinamics drive packages are achieving up to 99 percent energy efficiency, while Simotics motors are likewise running at 90 percent levels or better to deliver unprecedented energy and power in the machine tool market.
Sinumerik Integrate is an onboard CNC solution that allows machine tool data to be integrated quickly, simply and reliably into other company processes. This IT integration of production processes allows managers, machine operators, part programmers, maintenance engineers and machine tool builders to be inter-connected with each other and integrated into the overall system by means of defined processes. Sinumerik Integrate facilitates this network by concentrating IT-related functions into a single process suite, using six different available modules that cover every aspect of the machine tool integration process. For the aerospace market, the Sinumerik 840D sl is the latest in CNC technology that increases performance and user productivity. It is a universal and flexible CNC system featuring the innovative Sinamics S120 drives that can be used with up to 31 axes. It is a distributed, scalable, open and inter-connecting system, offering a wide range of specialized functions for milling, drilling, turning, grinding and handling technologies, with full kinematic transformations for optimum machining and surface quality.
The Sinumerik 840D offers users innovative features that increase productivity on the manufacturing floor, especially the challenging segments of high-speed and five-axis aerospace machining.
Connectivity is the watchword in aerospace at this year’s show. From a single solution provider, machine builders and end users alike can enjoy full and seamless connectivity of their CNC and PLC technologies, plant wide and worldwide among facilities, as Siemens provides its international network of support to all facilities, in all operating and conversational languages. Hardware and software solutions from a single source are available, to the scale and scope needed by any aerospace OEM or tier vendor.
In the automotive industry, Siemens continues to solidify its position with the Transline System Solution for automotive powertrains. This system integrates diverse metal cutting technologies such as milling, drilling, turning and grinding, and the assembly of powertrain parts, under common system architecture. With the introduction of the Flexible Assembly Configuration System (FACS), Siemens has now also streamlined the line changeover world.
By specifying Transline, machine tool users benefit from faster start-up times, better equipment serviceability and increased productivity. Operator cross-training and work cell operation is further enhanced.
During the show, Siemens will also have displays of its Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) services, as well as Siemens Safety Integrated and other production network offerings. TIA Portal, enables the design and configuration of all process automation from a single computer screen, along the entire process supply chain. Siemens Safety Integrated for Factory Automation comprises advanced drive technologies, automation systems, operator control and machine monitoring, fail-safe communications and safe industrial control advancements.
SinuTrain, the Siemens package of CNC training software on CD-ROM, provides milling and turning machine operators with a high degree of practical hands-on experience, prior to using the CNCs on their machines. It is designed to run on Windows XP or Windows 7 operating systems and is the optimal solution for machine tool control-identical simulation training. It installs and operates with less memory, so other work can easily be accomplished during simulation of the machining.
With SinuTrain, actual NC programs are developed and simulated, using a direct connection to the company’s CAD systems to further speed the program generation protocol. In this way, machine tool operators not only learn the control language commands, but they also visualize part programs on a PC screen that are identical to the actual machine screen. As a further benefit, programs generated through SinuTrain on the PC software can then be used on the machines.
A free 60-day trial license of Sinutrain is available to all show attendees.
The My Documentation Manager allows Siemens CNC users to customize online service and operations manuals to suit their specific machine tools. New mobile apps for iOS and Android devices that are now available from Siemens will be demonstrated, including Easy CNC with G-code compatibility conversion, Motion World, the Siemens customer magazine for CNC automation and CNC4you.
Other exhibits on display in the Siemens booth include the new Simotics 1FK7 / 1FT7 high-inertia servomotors, the 1PH8 main spindle motor, linear motors and direct-drive torque motors that contribute to the increase in machine performance. The exhibition will also focus on machine tool retrofit, field service, customer service, spare parts and repair, all of which support the machine tool builder and end-user. Special displays will also feature Siemens solutions for medical part manufacturing and power generation.
In the booth’s theater area, educational seminars about CNC technology, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) developments, factory automation and more will be presented.
Finally, Siemens will have active participation in the Automation Pavilion directly adjacent to the Siemens booth in the East Hall.
For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/cnc.
